A caption safe zone is the part of a vertical video that no app button, username or description ever covers. On a 1080×1920 (9:16) video, captions are clear of TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts anywhere between about 11% and 77% of the way down the frame, at least 160 px from the right edge. The best spot inside that is just below the middle, 55%–70% down. One position works on all three apps, so you can export once and post everywhere.
Shaded: covered by the app. Outlined: safe.
Shaded: covered by the app. Outlined: safe.
Shaded: covered by the app. Outlined: safe.
Safe zone sizes in pixels (1080×1920)
| Keep clear | TikTok | Instagram Reels | YouTube Shorts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top | 140 px 7% | 220 px 11% | 190 px 10% |
| Bottom | 380 px 20% | 420 px 22% | 440 px 23% |
| Right edge | 150 px from 760 to 1600 px down | 140 px from 900 to 1640 px down | 160 px from 820 to 1660 px down |
| Left edge | 60 px | 60 px | 60 px |
| Safe area | 870 × 1400 px | 880 × 1280 px | 860 × 1290 px |
Organic posts, rounded up to the nearest 10 px. Paid ads reserve roughly 50–120 px more at the bottom for the sponsored label and call-to-action button. Figures checked October 2026; apps move their buttons, so leave a little slack.
What covers each edge
- TikTok: Following / For You tabs, LIVE and search at the top; username, description, hashtags and the sound bar at the bottom; profile picture, like, comment, save and share down the right.
- Instagram Reels: the Reels header and camera icon at the top; username, follow button, caption and audio at the bottom; like, comment, share, save and the audio thumbnail down the right.
- YouTube Shorts: search, camera and the menu at the top; title, channel name, subscribe button and the sound/remix row at the bottom; like, dislike, comment, share and remix down the right.
The bottom is the big one on every app. A long description pushes the text higher, so treat the bottom figure as a minimum.
Where to put captions, in practice
- Not at the bottom. The traditional subtitle position is exactly where every short-form app prints your username and description.
- Just below the middle. 55%–70% down clears every app with room to spare, and it's close to where faces sit in a talking-head shot, so the eye doesn't travel far between face and words.
- Centred, with room on the right. Centre-aligned captions that stop 160 px short of the right edge never collide with the like and share buttons.
- Two lines at most. One to three words at a time keeps each caption inside the band, even in big type.
- Mind the feed crop on Instagram. Reels can show cropped to 4:5 in the main feed, which trims about 285 px off the top and bottom. Captions in the middle band survive that too.
Setting it in Karaoke Captions
In the editor's Edit tab, set the position to Middle, or drag the captions straight up or down on the preview until they sit just below the centre. The preview is the same frame you export, so what's clear there is clear in the app. Because captions are burned into the MP4, the same file is safe to post to TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.
Frequently asked questions
What is the TikTok safe zone?
On a 1080×1920 video, keep about 140 px clear at the top, 380 px at the bottom and 150 px down the right edge, where TikTok shows its tabs, your description and the like/share buttons.
What is the Instagram Reels safe zone?
Keep about 220 px clear at the top, 420 px at the bottom and 140 px on the right of a 1080×1920 Reel.
What is the YouTube Shorts safe zone?
Keep about 190 px clear at the top, 440 px at the bottom and 160 px on the right of a 1080×1920 Short.
Is there one safe zone for all three apps?
Yes: between about 11% and 77% of the way down the frame, at least 160 px from the right edge. For captions, aim for 55%–70% down, just below the middle.
Do ads have a different safe zone?
Yes. Paid placements add a sponsored label and a call-to-action button, so keep roughly another 50–120 px clear at the bottom for ads.
Put your captions where they’re seen
Drop your clip, drag the captions into the band, export once for every app.
Open the free tool →